jazfandomcom-20200216-history
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen ( , May 27, 1946 – April 19, 2005) was a Danish jazz double bassist known for his impressive technique and innovative approach |title=Allmusic |publisher=Allmusic |date= |accessdate=2010-12-09}} Pedersen was born in Osted, near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand. As a child, Pedersen played piano. As a teenager he started learning to play double-bass and at the age of 14, while studying, he began his professional jazz career in Denmark with his first band, Jazzkvintet 60 (Danish for 'Jazz Quintet 60'). Later on, he was engaged as the regular bassist at Copenhagen's Jazzhus Montmartre. At 17, he had already turned down an offer to join the Count Basie orchestra, mainly because he was too young to get legal permission to live and work as a musician in America. During the 1960s, Pedersen played with several important American jazzmen who were touring or resident in Denmark, including Ben Webster, Bill Evans, Brew Moore, Bud Powell, Count Basie, Roy Eldridge, Dexter Gordon, Dizzy Gillespie, Jackie McLean, Roland Kirk, Sonny Rollins, and vocalist Ella Fitzgerald; he also played with Jean-Luc Ponty. He became the bassist of choice whenever a big-name musician was touring Copenhagen. He was awarded Best Bass Player Of The Year by Downbeat Critics' Poll in 1981. Pedersen worked in duo and trio arrangements with pianist Kenny Drew, recording over 50 albums together. He also worked with Stéphane Grappelli and Joe Pass and recorded extensively as a leader. His best known songs are "My Little Anna", "Jaywalkin' ", and "The Puzzle", as well as jazz arrangements of traditional Danish folk songs. He was awarded the Nordic Council Music Prize in 1991. In 1999, he co-led a duo with pianist Mulgrew Miller, touring Europe, Japan, Australia, and Korea. This format was later enlarged into a trio featuring drummer, Alvin Queen. This trio remained intact until his death. Pedersen died of heart failure in 2005 at the age of 58 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was survived by his wife, Solveig, and his three children."N-H. Orsted Pedersen, 58, Bassist in Danish Jazz Scene, Dies" (April 21, 2005) New York Times Oscar Peterson wrote: | width =80% | qalign =left | salign =right | align =center }} Discography As leader *''Jaywalkin''' (SteepleChase, 1976) *''Pictures'' (SteepleChase, 1976) *''Double Bass'' (SteepleChase, 1976) - with Sam Jones *''Dancing On The Tables'' (SteepleChase, 1979) *''Just The Way You Are'' (Sonet, 1981) - with Rune Gustafsson *''The Viking'' (1983) *''The Eternal Traveller'' (1984) *''Scandinavian Wood'' (Caprice, 1992) *''Uncharted Land'' (1992) *''Ambiance'' (1993) *''To A Brother'' (1993) *''Those Who Were'' (1996) *''Friends Forever'' (Milestone 1997) *''This Is All I Ask'' (1998) As sideman With Albert Ayler *''My Name Is Albert Ayler'' (1963) With Chet Baker *''The Touch of Your Lips'' 1979 *''Daybreak (Live In Montmartre Vol.1)'' 1979 *''This is Always (Live In Montmartre Vol.2)'' 1979 *''Someday My Prince Will Come'' 1979 With Count Basie *''Kansas City 6'' 1981 With Philip Catherine *''Jaywalkin''' 1975 *''Trio 2'' 1993 - with Billy Hart With Niels Lan Doky, Alex Riel, and others *''The Song is a Fairytale'' (by Frederik Magle) 1994 '''With Kenny Drew *''Duo'' (SteepleChase, 1973) *''Duo 2'' (SteepleChase, 1974) *''Dark Beauty'' (SteepleChase, 1974) *''If You Could See Me Now'' (SteepleChase, 1974) *''In Concert'' (SteepleChase, 1977) *''And Far Away'' (Soul Note, 1983) With Roy Eldridge *''Roy Eldridge 4/Montreux 77'' 1977 With Stan Getz *''Live at Montmartre'' (vols. 1 and 2) 1977 With Dizzy Gillespie *''The Giant'' (America, 1973) *''The Source'' (America, 1973) *''The Dizzy Gillespie Big 7'' (Pablo, 1975) With Dexter Gordon *''One Flight Up'' (Blue Note, 1964) *''A Day in Copenhagen'' (MPS, 1969) - with Slide Hampton *''Some Other Spring'' (Sonet, 1970) - with Karin Krog With Louis Hjulmand *''Play with Us'' 1987 With Milt Jackson *''The Milt Jackson Big 4'' (Pablo, 1975) With Roland Kirk *''Kirk in Copenhagen'' (Mercury, 1963) With Tania Maria *''Tania Maria'' 1978 *''Tania Maria & Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen'' 1979 With Palle Mikkelborg *''Heart to Heart'' 1986 *''Hommage: Once upon a Time'' 1990 With Tete Montoliu *''Catalonian Fire'' (SteepleChase, 1974) *''Tête à Tete'' (SteepleChase, 1977) With Dado Moroni *''Bluesology'' 1981 With Joe Pass *''Chops'' 1978 *''Northsea Nights'' 1979 *''Eximious'' 1982 With Oscar Peterson *''Great Connection'' (MPS, 1971) - with Louis Hayes *''The Trio'' (Pablo, 1973) - with Joe Pass *''Oscar Peterson and the Bassists – Montreux '77 (Pablo, 1977) *''Oscar Peterson Jam – Montreux '77 (Pablo, 1977) *''Night Child'' 1979 *''Nigerian Marketplace'' 1981 With Jean-Luc Ponty *''Sunday Walk'' 1969 With George Shearing *''The MPS Trio Sessions'' (MPS, 1977 - 1981) With Archie Shepp *''Looking at Bird'' (SteepleChase, 1981) With Ben Webster *''Ben Webster in Denmark'' 1965-1971 Notes References *"Scandinavian Wood": The musical career of Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen in the light of his discography by Jørgen Mathiasen. Books on Demand 2010. ISBN 978-3-8423-5157-8. External links *class=artist|id=p85979/discography|pure_url=yes}} Profile and discography at allmusic.com Category:Bassists